1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to smoking, such as by smoking a pipe, and more particularly to smoking pipes that may be dismantled for repair, replacement, and maintenance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pipes are often used to smoke substances such as tobacco. Moisture from a fluid may be mixed with pipe smoke to ameliorate harshness and to impart a pleasant flavor or aroma to the smoke. So-called Hubble-Bubble or hookah pipes are one way in which smoke may be mixed with moisture.
A hookah has a bowl or base which is filled with fluid. The base has an opening at the top fitted for a plenum, which is part of a stem. The stem may be a tube conveying smoke from a burner on top to a passage through the plenum, and then through a tube at the bottom of the plenum in to the fluid filling the base. The smoke is let out underneath the surface of the fluid and allowed to bubble up through the fluid to the surface, absorbing moisture as it does. A second passage through the plenum the plenum conveys the now-moistened smoke out of the base to a hose. A smoker smokes the hookah by drawing smoke through the hose.
The base of a hookah may be made of glass, such as crystal. The plenum and stemp stem may be made of metal. There may be an interference fit between the plenum and the base to retain the plenum in the base. A smoker who wishes to move the hookah may grasp the stem and pick up the hookah. An interference fit between the metal and glass may be inadequate to support the weight of the base, particularly if the base is relatively full of fluid. The base may consequently fall off while the hookah is being carried, possibly sustaining damage.
Stems are often formed of one piece. Since a stem may be relatively long, a one-piece stem may be difficult to clean. The down tube, which runs downward from the plenum to the fluid, may become fouled relatively quickly, since the down tube is in a hot, corrosive, acidic environment formed by the smoke mixing with the fluid in the base. The down tube may be so fouled as to be corroded or occluded. A stem with a corroded or occluded down tube may be difficult to smoke. The entire stem may have to be thrown away when the down tube has become corroded or occluded.
Stems formed of more than one piece may be fitted together with inference fits as well. The interference fits may be secured by wrapping the male component with cloth or masking tape before insertion in the female part. Cloth or masking tape may degrade relatively quickly, however, in the smoky environment.